Quillshroom Marsh is the seventh area of The Messenger. It is a mushroom and quicksand-filled marsh, ruled by the Queen of Quills.
The west side of Quillshroom Marsh is accessed from Howling Grotto, and the east side leads to Searing Crags.
Appearance[]
8-Bit[]
Quillshroom Marsh has yellow and green structures, yellow grass, green dirt, brown gnarly trees with green accents, green thorny vines, green plants, and yellow-brown quicksand. There are many red-capped mushrooms with brown stalks, some with faces that sing to the music. Green mushroom-shaped lanterns with faces also sing to the music. In the distant background are large mushrooms of varying sizes, tall trees barren of leaves, and a large mass of thorny vines lining the ground, all shaded green.
16-Bit[]
Same as 8-bit, but the structures are brown, the dirt is brown, the distant background is appropriately colored rather than shades of green, and the background has a layer of slowly-moving fog.
Items[]
8-Bit[]
- If Ninja sinks into the quicksand pit in the second room of Quillshroom Marsh (from the west), he'll find himself in an underground pathway that leads to the Magic Seashell. He can enter this pathway in 16-bit, but the Magic Seashell will be missing.
Power Seals[]
- For the main article, see Power Seals.
Linear[]
Power Seal #1[]
After the first shop checkpoint, a vertical wall slightly sticks out of the ceiling. Climb the wall up into the Power Seal room. Cloudstep the lanterns while avoiding spikes in order to reach the Power Seal.
Power Seal #2[]
Two Magic Fireflies fly up and down a vertical corridor of spikes. In 8-bit, use the "Strike of the Ninja" shop upgrade or the Rope Dart in order to reach the bottom of the corridor.
Normally, Ninja should wait until the second half of the game in which attacking the Magic Fireflies reveals a safe time passageway through the spikes. However, Ninja can also attempt to jump through the spike-filled passageway during his first runthrough of Quillshroom Marsh, but he will take unavoidable damage.
Final[]
Power Seal #3[]
In 16-bit at the second shop checkpoint, drop down the floor in the lower-right corner of the room to reach the Power Seal room. Rope Dart past sawblades and crusher blocks, and avoid sinking into the quicksand while traveling towards the Power Seal.
The Shopkeeper's Dialogue[]
Emerald Golem[]
 Shopkeeper
|
I still can't believe you defeated the Emerald Golem. Did you get a chance to understand its motive? |
 Ninja
|
That thing wasn't evil, it was just digging away. |
| Shopkeeper
|
What? You mean all these Messengers that were killed... |
| Ninja
|
All a misunderstanding. |
| Shopkeeper
|
Wow... |
Current area[]
| Shopkeeper
|
"Welcome to Quillshroom Marsh", said no one ever. |
| Ninja
|
Yeah, this place is eerie. |
| Shopkeeper
|
Tell me about it, I once had to look through the mud for an artifact. Gave up pretty quickly. |
| Ninja
|
What happened to this area? |
| Shopkeeper
|
Legend says it used to be ruled by a monstrosity called the Primal Fear, until a brave monk defeated it. Both were very mighty indeed, but with its final breath, the Primal Fear cursed the monk forever. |
| Ninja
|
Cursed? |
| Shopkeeper
|
Legend also says that the monk still roams the marsh to this day, turning any trespassers into fungi. |
| Ninja
|
Oh, great. |
| Shopkeeper
|
No one knows whether any of that is true, but yeah, I'd pick up the pace if I were you. |
[]
- For the main article, see The Shopkeeper's Stories.
| Ninja
|
Do you have any stories to share? |
| Shopkeeper
|
Of course, here's one for you. There once was a Messenger who kept asking for stories. |
| Ninja
|
... |
| Shopkeeper
|
Even though he was supposed to move on with his very important quest, he just couldn't get enough. The Shopkeeper, living in a void outside of time, was connected to all eras, and so at first was happy to share the myths and legends encountered over decades of traveling. Alas, the Messenger never seemed to appreciate the morals or takeaways, so the Shopkeeper decided to be done with the stories thing. |
| Ninja
|
... |
| Shopkeeper
|
The end. |
| Ninja
|
... No way! I liked your stories. |
| Shopkeeper
|
... |
| Ninja
|
Come on! |
| Shopkeeper
|
Maybe later, we'll see. |
Level boss[]
| Shopkeeper
|
Be careful, I sense a Fallen up ahead. |
| Ninja
|
A "Fallen"? |
| Shopkeeper
|
It's how we call Messengers whose quest came to a tragic end, their power corrupted by demon magic. |
| Ninja
|
Why are you so serious all of a sudden? |
| Shopkeeper
|
Because it doesn't get more serious than a rogue Messenger about to unleash on you. And with these stories about a monk... if it really is that one monk... |
| Ninja
|
What are you talking about? |
| Shopkeeper
|
About you meeting your match. Good luck. |
Trivia[]
- On the 16-bit-exclusive pathway near the bottom of the map between Quillshroom Marsh and Searing Crags, a dilapidated brown house with a withered tree is seen. A wooden figure of Death is stuck to the tree, reaching for a yellow pear. This is an easter egg that references The Shopkeeper's story in the Catacombs.
- On the 16-bit pathway to the Magic Seashell pedestal is an axe and a hand with a golden ring on its ring finger, both leaning against a wooden crate. This is an easter egg that references The Shopkeeper's story in Searing Crags.
- Mushrooms in the background, and mushroom lanterns, sing to the music.[1]
Gallery[]
References[]
Interactive Locations Map[]
| Locations in The Messenger | |
|---|---|
| Messenger Island | Ninja Village • Autumn Hills • Forlorn Temple • Catacombs • Bamboo Creek • Howling Grotto • Quillshroom Marsh • Searing Crags • Glacial Peak • Tower of Time • Cloud Ruins • Underworld • Dark Cave • Rivière Turquoise • Sunken Shrine • Elemental Skylands • Corrupted Future • Music Box |
| Voodkin Island | Open Sea • Voodkin Shore • Fire Mountain • Voodoo Heart |
| Miscellaneous Locations | The Shop • Tower of Time HQ • The Craftsman's Corner • The Void |